Folding shelf and paper rack



L. T. OBELE FOLDING SHELF" AND PAPER RACK may 1, 192's. 1,453,598

Filed April 12 1921 Patented May 1, 1923.

srarss TENT? LAWRENCE 'r. OBELE, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

I FOLDING SHELF AND PAPER RACK.

Applicatibmfiled Apri1'12, 1921. Serial 110,460,724;

To all whom it may 05mm:

Be it known that I, LAWREN E T. OBELE,

acitizen ofthe United States, residing at ject to so constructsuch a device that the shelves may be adjusted to difi'erent positions and certain thereof arrangedat such aniles as to be utilizedasa paper rack.

other objectof the invention is to pro vide a frame-having means to register with suitable supporting devices and carrying shelves which may be folded into a closed position or adjusted to a horizontal position and certain of said shelves be capable of further adjustment to assume an inclined position for use as a paper rack.

Another object of the invention is to provide the side bars of the frame with slots of unique shape to permit of the aforementioned adjustments. a

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains,.may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing,

forming a part of this application, in

' which Fig. 1, is a front elevation of my combination folding shelves and paper rack; and

Fig. 2, is a side elevation or edge view thereof illustrating in dotted lines some of the different adjusted positions.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, 2 represents a rectangular frame comprising two parallel side bars 3, a top cross ,piece 4 and a bottom cross piece 5, both cross pieces being suitably attached to the side bars at the ends thereof. Said side bars andcross pieces may be formed from any suitable material having any adaptable cross section.

In the lower edge of each of the cross pieces are formed notches 6 for registration with suitable supporting devices such as nails, screwsor their equivalent: secured; m a wall or'other object. Said notches pre-w i I i vent the frame from shifting or becoming accidentally displaced.

through consisting of two legs8 and 9' at angles to each other with an offset notch 10 communicating with the slot: at approxiey mately the juncture of the two legs and in] these slots are slidablymounted :theQtrun nions 11 preferably in the form of screwsf suitably attached to the shelf 12 so' astobe carried thereby.

f-Hangers 13 pivoted. by means of screws ends of the slots 7 the shelf 12 will'be held in an inclined position, as shown, but if the or their equivalent '14 to each side of the rear end of the shelf is raised until the trun nlons rest in the notches 10communicating r withthe slots 7,.said shelf willvbe held in a horizontal position, as shown by dotted lines designated by the numeral 12 and if the V rear end of said shelf is further raised until the trunnions are at the upper ends ofxthe' slot 7 said shelf and its hangers 113 will be folded within the confines ofthe fr'ame'as v shown in dotted lines and designated by the U U numeral 12*. r

In the frame 2 is also mounted another shelf 16 the rear end ofwhich is pivoted as at 17 to the side bars of said frame, while to the forward end of said shelf at eachv side thereof are pivotedthe folding hangers 18 as at 19, the other ends of said hangers being pivoted at 20 to the sidebars of the frame. Each of said hangers 18 consists of twomembers 21 and 22 pivoted to each other. I

as at 23.

This form of shelf can be" adjusted to lie 5 in a horizontal position, as shown, as it can be folded up within the frame by swinging the same about its pivot points 17 at which time the members of the hangers [will col lapse and fold upon each other as .will be obvious. 1 y

Although I have only illustrated this invention as embodying two shelves the lower one of which is adjustable to only two positions because it is unders'irable .to use the lower shelf as a paper rack, it will be obvious that a plurality of shelves embodying the same construction can be carried by V, 60 Each of the side bars 3 has a slot? there the frame and Where more than two shelves are to be used it is desirable that all but the lower one be constructed as shown in the upper shelf.

Of course I do notwish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown as these may be varied Within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit ofmy invention,

'Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1- 1.1114 device of the character stated, a

' frame consistingef two sidebars and upper and lower cross pieces, said side bars each having slots therethrough, each slot comprising two legs at angles to each other with an offset notch communicating therewith at approximately the juncture of the two legs, a shelf, non collapsible hangers pivoted to the forward end of said shelf and to the bars of the frame above the slots therein, and pivoting trunnions passing through the slotsandsec'ured to the rear endof the shelf, said trunnions resting in the lower ends of the slots to hold the shelf in an inclined position, in the offset notches for holding the shelf in a horizontal position and assuming a position atthe upper ends of said slots when the shelf is collapsed within the frame.

2. In a folding shelf, the combination of a frame including parallel side bars, said side bars having similar slots each comprising two legs at angles to one another with an offset notch comniuniicating therewith atth'e juncture of said legs and lying in the crotch produced by the angularity of said 1eg's',;a shelf, trunnions carried by said shelf and adjustably' mounted in the slots, hangers pivoted to the side edges of the shelf adja cent its outer end and also pivoted to the inner faces of said side bars whereby t he hangers may swing into the space between the shelf and side bars as the inner end telescope it within the frame. a (In testimony whereof, I have hereunto ailiked my signature; p

LAWRENCE T. OBELE'.

the shelf is raised above the horizontal to 

